Pune Crime: 27 Job Seekers Duped Of ₹4.88 Crore In Fake Central Govt Job Racket

Pune: 27 job aspirants were allegedly cheated of around ₹4.88 crore after being promised jobs in central government departments, including India Post, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The Pimpri-Chinchwad Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has registered a case against eight persons, including a self-styled religious leader from Delhi.

According to the complaint, the alleged fraud began when the complainant and his acquaintances met Dr Manoj Jain at a hotel in Pune. Jain allegedly showed them a list of candidates whom he claimed had secured jobs in the postal department. He also displayed what appeared to be government website result lists carrying the names of selected candidates and explained the purported recruitment procedure.

The accused allegedly told the aspirants that they would have to pay ₹18 lakh each for jobs in the Post Office, FCI and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. They were initially asked to pay ₹3 lakh each towards application forms. A total of 26 candidates allegedly paid the initial amount and subsequently received OTPs on their mobile phones, which they were instructed to share with Jain.

The accused later claimed that the candidates had to undergo medical examinations at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi and demanded additional money. On January 15, 2025, 24 candidates allegedly travelled to Delhi and paid ₹12 lakh in cash, at ₹50,000 each, for the medical process.

Jain subsequently introduced them to Neeraj Srivastava, who, along with a doctor, allegedly conducted medical examinations of some candidates. The candidates were later introduced to Janak Yadav and Bhagwat Sharan alias Maharaj at The Ashoka hotel in Delhi. Yadav was allegedly presented as an FCI employee, while Sharan was introduced as the mahant of Medha Rishi Ashram in Rudawali, Ayodhya.

The accused allegedly assured the candidates that their recruitment process was underway. On January 19, 2025, Sharan reportedly told the complainant that he had received only ₹17 lakh and that the process had been stopped because the remaining amount had not been paid. The complainant told him that the candidates had already paid ₹1.26 crore to Jain.

The accused allegedly continued demanding money, claiming that additional payments would speed up the recruitment process. On February 9, 2025, Sharan allegedly called the complainant to the Oberoi Hotel in Mumbai, where Rajnish Mudgal and Manish Singh were also present.

The candidates subsequently received appointment letters purportedly bearing the signature and stamp of the Chief General Manager, FCI headquarters, confirming their selection as stock inspectors. When they raised doubts about the authenticity of the documents, the accused allegedly assured them that the letters were genuine.

The candidates later received 11-month appointment letters and were called to the World Trade Centre in Delhi for purported training. Four to five candidates were allegedly called each day, made to provide their fingerprints and signatures on a machine and then sent back. The process continued for about a week, after which the candidates began suspecting that they had been cheated.

The accused allegedly attempted to maintain their confidence by showing them purported original job orders. In November 2025, the complainant approached Sharan and another accused, Umesh Ghosh, and repeatedly sought either immediate joining or a refund. They allegedly assured him that the process would be completed soon.

The candidates eventually realised that the appointment letters were fake and that they had been duped through a fabricated recruitment process designed to make them believe they had secured legitimate government jobs. When they demanded their money back, the accused allegedly threatened them.

The complainant also learnt that members of the same group, including Abhishek Nigam and Sharan, had allegedly cheated four to five other youths by promising them recruitment in the Army.

Following the complaint, the Pimpri-Chinchwad EOW registered a case against eight accused persons. Technical analysis by investigators indicated that the accused were in Delhi. An EOW team has been sent there to trace and apprehend them.

Police are now investigating the financial transactions and the alleged recruitment network to determine whether more job aspirants were similarly cheated.